Apparatus for applying markings to stockings and other articles



w. E. lMAGE 2,723,619 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS TO STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Nov. 15, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 1, 1952 By [brim Attorneys Nov. 15, 1955 w. E. IMAGE 2,723,619

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS TO STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed Oct. 1, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorneys Nov. 15, 1955 w. E. IMAGE APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS T0 sTocKINcs AND OTHER ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 1, 1952 Inventor By M; (Buzz; Attorneys 2,723,619 Patented Nov. 15, 1955 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS TO STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES William Edward Image, Milford-Astor Limited, porate of Great Britain Salford, England, assignor to Snlford, England, a body cor- This invention concerns apparatus for applying brand or other markings or designs to'singlearticles, and relates more particularly to the type of marking machine in which the marking is applied to the article by a die through a pigmented ribbon or foil which is pressed onto the article by a die carried in a suitable head, there being relative movement between the surface supporting the article and the head.

According to the present invention the apparatus comprises a reciprocating table or platen to receive the article to be marked and a reciprocating receptacle of trough like construction to remove the article after marking, the platen and trough moving forward in unison but after marking the trough commencing its return movement before the return movement of the platen to withdraw the marked article therefrom and leave the platen clear to receive a succeeding article before the commencement of the next forward stroke. I

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of a marking machine showing the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the mechanism for operating the platen and trough shaped table in the marking position,

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the mechanism in an intermediate position between that shown in Fig. 3 and that shown in Fig. l. i

Fig. 5 is a plan view to a smaller scale showing a frame in the printing position for removing marked articles from the platen and in dotted lines the table and frame in a position similar to that shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a part side elevation of Fig. 5.

The marking machine is constructed with a head A supporting a vertically reciprocated die A a pigmented ribbon or foil B being traversed intermittently below the die A through guides b. The die A is moved downwards by a cam a and returned by spring a The pigmented ribbon or foil B is traversed through cam operated bevel gearing b the length of travel at each actuation being controlled by an indexing mechanism B arranged for the take up roll'er b for the spent foil' all of known construction.

The head A and take up mechanism for the foil are actuated through a continuous belt or band A from a shaft a driven by an electric or other motor not shown.

A platen C is mounted on runners 0 arranged on guideways c at each side of an open topped carriage or framing the guides c extending to a position at the sides of and below the pressing head A.

A carriage D which moves forward with the platen C is also carried by runners d which travel on the same guides c as the runners c of the platen C.

The platen C is connected through a connecting rod c to one end of a bell crank lever C the other end of which carries a runner c engaging a cam E mounted on the driving shaft a of the machine. The carriage D is United States Patent Ofiice also connected through a connecting rod d to one end of a second bell crank lever D the other end of which carries a runner d engaging a second cam E on the driving shaft a The runners 0 d are held in contact with the cams by springs c d acting respectively on the bell crank levers C D and the profiles of the two cams E E are such as to give the desired relative movements to the platen C and the carriage D.

The front end of the carriage is formed with a rounded or beaded edge and a weight d is adapted to bear on this edge, the weight being carried by an arm d extending over the carriage'D and pivotally mounted at the rear thereof on a rod a so that the weight can be raised from the edge.

When using the machine for marking stockings a number of stockings are placed one on top of the other on the front rounded edge of the carriage D with their feet (or upper ends) which are to be marked hanging downwards in front of the edge and their upper ends (or feet) below the weight d*. The feet (or upper ends) are then turned over onto the weight d which has been moved to bear on the pile of stockings and may be supported in this position by the arm d carrying the weight.

When in this position the foot (or top portion) of the bottom stocking lies on top of the pile and at the commencement of the operation this portion of this stocking is moved over onto the platen C as shown in Fig. l. The machine is then started and the platen C and carriage D travel forward together (Fig. 3) until the platen is below the head A carryingthe die A the latter then moves downwards, its movement being synchronised with the movement of the platen and carriage so that it comes into operation when the platen is stationary below the die. Immediately after the die A has caused an imprint on the stocking the carriage D commences to move backwards and withdraws the top of the stocking from the platen C (Fig.4) so that it falls down into a receptacle D below the platen C and carriage D. As soon as the top of the stocking hasbeen moved from the platen C the latter commences to move backwards (Fig. 4) and at the end of its return movement it and the carriage D are in the same positions as they were at the commencement of the forward movements (Figs. 1 and 3). The top of the next lowest stocking is then at the top of the pile and is placed onto the platen ready for the next cycle of opera tions. The operations are then repeated until all the stockings have been marked.

When marking small articles they are placed one at a time on the platen C which may be inscribed to indicate the central or impression position and a frame D (Fig. 5) is mounted on pins d on the carriage D in place of the weight d The frame D projects over the platen C and is provided with a transverse member or bar d which on the return stroke of the trough D removes the articles from the platen into the receptacle D Alternatively a clamp may be mounted on the front edge of the'trough D to hold a pile of articles to be marked each article after marking being lowered out of.

the marking position and a succeeding article in the pile being allowed to rest on the platen.

The printing ribbon or foil B is carried on a roll b at one side of the head A carrying the die A and is wound off this role under the die A and on to the second roll b actuated by the mechanism B at the opposite side of the printing head thus travelling in a path at right angles to the direction of movement of the platen C. The ribbon or foil B is preferably moved forward auomatically after each printing operation through a cam and ratchet and pawl mechanism a distance sufiicient to bring a new portion under the die ready for the next printing operation.

The ribbon is carried below the die by the guides b supported by the head A and so arranged that the die will M commence to move downwards before the ribbon and then press the ribbon on to the article and will move upwards a short distance before the ribbon is lifted from the article. If necessary, a spring device may be arranged to move the ribbon upwards a short distance immediately the head commences to rise to free it from the article.

Although not limited thereto the invention is particularly applicable for use with a ribbon or foil having a coating on its pigmented face containing a thermo-plastic material which will penetrate a short distance into the surface of the article. With such a ribbon it is necessary that the die should be heated and this may be accomplished in any suitable Way as by surrounding it with a heated chamber A The apparatus forming the invention and especially when employing a ribbon having a thermo-plastic coating on its face is particularly applicable for marking nylon stockings the marking of which has hitherto been unsatisfactory and also for marking insoles or other cut outs employed in boot and shoe and other trades.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying brand or other markings to articles, comprising a marking device, a reciprocatory table to receive a portion of an article to be marked, a reciprocatory carriage to receive another portion of the article, the table and carriage being guided for movement toward and from the marking device, means for moving the table and carriage unidirectionally in unison to advance the article to the marking device for marking thereby, and means for moving the carriage and table unidirecr tionally in succession to retract the carriage prior to retraction of the table to remove the article from the table.

2. Apparatus for applying brand or other markings to articles, comprising a marking device, a reciprocatory table to receive a portion of an article to be marked, a reciprocatory carriage to receive another portion of the article, the table and carriage being guided for movement toward and from the marking device, means including bell crank levers, carns for actuating said levers and rods connecting said levers respectively to the table and car riage for reciprocating them, the cams being set to advance the table and carriage unidirectionally in unison to advance the article to the marking device for marking thereby and to retract the carriage and table unidirectionally in succession to increase the distance between the carriage and table during retraction of the carriage to remove the article from the table.

3. Apparatus for applying brand or other markings to articles, comprising a marking device, a reciprocatory table to receive one end of an article to be marked, a reciprocatory carriage to receive the other end of the article, runways guiding the table and carriage for movement toward and from the marking device, bell crank levers, rods connecting said levers respectively to the table and carriage, and cams for actuating the bell crank levers to reciprocate the table and carriage, the cams being set to advance the table and carriage unidirectionally in unison toward the marking device for marking the portion of the article on the table and to retract the table and carriage unidirectionally but with the carriage retracting prior to retraction of the table to remove the article from the table.

4. Apparatus for applying brand or other markings to articles, comprising a marking device, a reciprocatory table to receive ends of articles to be marked, a reciprocat-ory carriage to receive the other ends of the articles, runways for guiding the table and carriage for movement toward and from the marking device, clamps on the carriage for securing a pile of articles thereto for application of ends thereof one at a time to the table, and means including bell crank levers, cams for actuating said levers and rods connecting said levers respectively to the table and carriage for reciprocating them, the cams being set to advance the table and carriage unidirectionally in unison toward the marking device for marging ends of the articles on the table and for retracting the table and carriage unidirectionally but with the carriage retracting prior to retraction of the table to remove the articles from the table.

5. Apparatus for applying brand or other markings to articles, comprising a marking device, a reciprocatory table to receive ends of articles to be marked, a reciprocatory carriage to receive the other ends of the articles, runways guiding the table and carriage for movement toward and from the marking device, a weighted arm pivoted on the carriage for securing a pile of articles thereto, and means including bell crank levers, cams for actuating said levers and rods connecting said levers respectively to the table and carriage for reciprocating them, the cams being set to advance the table and carriage unidirectionally in unison toward the marking device to present an end of an article on the table to the marking device for marking and to retract the table and carriage unidirectionally but with the carriage retracting prior to retraction of the table to remove the article from the table.

6. Apparatus for applying brand or other markings to articles, comprising a marking device, a reciprocatory table to receive ends of the articles for marking, a reciprocatory carriage to receive the other ends of the articles, the table and carriage being guided for movement toward and from the marking device, clamps on the carriage for securing a pile of articles thereto for application one at a time to the table, means including bell crank levers, rods connecting said levers respectively to the table and carriage for reciprocating them and cams for actuating the bell crank levers, the cams being set to advance the table and carriage unidirectionally in unison toward the marking device to present an end of an article on the table to the marking device for marking and to retract the table and carriage unidirectionally but with the carriage retracting prior to retraction of the table, and a frame mounted on the carriage and extending over the table to effect removal of an article therefrom during retraction of the table and carriage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,857 Richards June 15, 1886 1,537,749 Colgrove May 12, 1925 1,599,917 OHara Sept. 14, 1926 1,819,160 Gale Aug. 18, 1931 2,318,165 Kluge May 4, 1943 

